If you need urgent medical care outside our normal surgery hours of 8.00am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday, please telephone 111. They will take your details and assess the best way to help you.

You may be given telephone advice, be asked to attend the Out of Hours GP Service, or they may arrange for a doctor to visit you at home. If they think it is necessary they will also arrange for an ambulance to attend.

NHS 111 has been introduced to help make it easier for residents to access local health services, advice and information. Patients can now call 111 when in need of medical help fast, but it isn't a 999 emergency. 111 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and calls from landlines and mobile phones are free.

When to use it

You should use the NHS 111 service if you urgently need medical help or advice but it's not a life-threatening situation.

Patients should call 111 if:

• it is not a 999 emergency• they think they need to go to A&E or another NHS urgent care service;• they don't think they can wait for an appointment with their GP; or• they don't know who to call for medical help.

For immediate, life-threatening emergencies, people should continue to call 999.

If a health professional has given you a specific phone number to call when you are concerned about your condition, continue to use that number.

How does it work?

111 will connect the caller to a team located in Peterborough of fully trained call advisers, who are supported by experienced nurses and paramedics. They will ask the caller questions to assess the symptoms, and give them the healthcare advice they need or direct the most appropriate and available local service.

Where possible, the NHS 111 team will book you an appointment or transfer you directly to the people you need to speak to. If NHS 111 advisers think you need an ambulance they will arrange for one to be sent to you.

Patients should continue to call their GP for non-urgent medical advice.

Calls to 111 are recorded. All calls and the records created are maintained securely, and will only be shared with others directly involved with your care.